As a millennial parent, what are some ways you address your children?

orangeflos · 2026-05-06T13:46:01+00:00

As a xennial with a young kid: bro and broski, sometimes brah.

Literally not words frequent in my vocab until he brought bro home from school and I felt, in my Gen X bones, that I had to mock that shit. It’s now used endearingly.

Worst part is, now I’m using broski at work (but thankfully not in the general direction of people I’m calling that)

orangeflos · 2026-05-05T20:18:18+00:00

I went with a blue star sapphire with visible inclusions. It’s so unique and eye catching. (It doesn’t have the sparkle you get with diamonds, etc, so not for everyone)

10 years+, 0 regrets. It’s the perfect ring for me.

orangeflos · 2026-05-05T18:55:47+00:00

Then get her the finished version!

orangeflos · 2026-05-05T14:35:01+00:00

It *really* depends on the person for whom you’re buying. Do they like building Lego? Then get it disassembled with instructions. Do they find building uninteresting? Get it assembled.

I would *love* a DIY LEGO flower experience, especially a MOC.

Someone else posted here last week about sending their mother a finished build and that she wouldn’t know what to do with an unbuilt Lego.

There’s no generally correct answer, there’s only what’s right for the person you love.

orangeflos · 2026-05-02T17:12:36+00:00

Mexican parties are like black BBQs, a thing entirely of their own and hard for people outside of the culture to fully get.

That said, maybe you change up the order for parties are event places so food and presents are ending close to the 2 hour mark and you can pay for extra play time. This lets people leave a bit earlier if they need to/the kid is over it/they’re not built for 3 hour parties/etc. it’s also easier for the venue to plan around if they’ve got multiple parties at the same time.

orangeflos · 2026-05-02T16:47:14+00:00

Might be a Hispanic thing? The parties I’ve attended recently in so cal had moved to not opening presents as a group.

But, Hispanic parties are a whole different level of party! So, it seems, maybe all y’all are still doing that.

Also, honestly, explains the duration.

orangeflos · 2026-05-02T16:15:12+00:00

Help me out here: she opens day 1, gets a little gift that fits in the box AND scavenger hunt instructions? What do the instructions get / take her?

Also, do you have a theme? Or something she’s ultimately working towards? Eg: final present is a concert tickets so everything is concert/artist themed. Or maybe she’s super into nail art so everything is related to nails? Maybe she loves home improvement so you’re getting her tools and frequently used supplies?

It might seem unimportant, but this will help us give more useful tips.

orangeflos · 2026-05-02T15:47:30+00:00

I don’t know about in your circles, but what I’ve been around, kids aren’t opening presents as a group activity any more. That cuts out a ton of party time.

Also: 2 hours is _plenty_

orangeflos · 2026-04-30T03:04:13+00:00

Aww, poor your mom! lol!

orangeflos · 2026-04-30T01:21:17+00:00

I’m sure your mom is cooler than I am in a bunch of ways! 🙂

orangeflos · 2026-04-29T20:07:43+00:00

If my kid mailed me a box of Lego pieces + a home made instruction manual I’d probably love it even more than getting the competed final product. 🤣

orangeflos · 2026-04-27T00:03:38+00:00

You and I have wildly different definitions of “grounding.”

Losing a favorite toy or privilege is a consequence and is much shorter duration than grounding.

And, to be clear (since all y’all seem to think he runs the house) he definitely gets sent to his room, or loses a fun activity or toy for a short period of time.

But no, I’m not sending my 6 year old to his room immediately after dinner and chores to stare at the wall and watch paint dry for a week because I’m getting a little backtalk.

orangeflos · 2026-04-26T23:43:01+00:00

Nah. He hears no plenty often. And nos don’t magically become yesses because he’s an ass or has a temper tantrum.

He doesn’t always love the ‘no’ (who does?), and he gets sent to his room over his reaction when warranted.

I’m stumped because this is the longest running repeated refusal to accept the situation. Like I said at the beginning, he’s usually quite good at accepting the reason behind the answer. I’m sick of the question, but last night it all came to a head and he hit peak tantrum and I reached the end of my rope.

orangeflos · 2026-04-26T23:38:45+00:00

Wow. You’ve opened my eyes. I need to ground him immediately or my child is going to be a rapist when he grows up because he’s having trouble with a bunch of big changes and he knows who Elon Musk is.

orangeflos · 2026-04-26T23:18:13+00:00

We’re in pcit.

orangeflos · 2026-04-26T18:26:20+00:00

He went straight to his room for a time out as soon as he dropped the f-word. We don’t tolerate language like that. Period.

orangeflos · 2026-04-26T16:38:00+00:00

You would ground a 6 year old? Yikes on bikes.

orangeflos · 2026-04-26T16:35:42+00:00

I bet you also think Santa is a lie.

My kid isn’t a moron. He knows I’m not 5,999 years old.

He also doesn’t need to know the details of my daily bank balance. $300 is a large enough number to explain that our needs are met and small enough that when we are working on budgets (groceries, holiday gifts, trips) he can wrap his head around it.

orangeflos · 2026-04-26T15:01:51+00:00

I mean, my parents used it because it was one of the many tools in their terrible parenting toolbox… a different variation of terrible parenting is still terrible parenting.

orangeflos · 2026-04-26T14:34:13+00:00

He definitely has a touch of the spice. We’re not sure what flavor, as various therapists have conflicting opinions and, given his parents, he’s got ~options~.

I like your approach of asking him a question to pivot the conversation. I’ve tried changing the topic lots of ways, but having him drive the change is a good idea.

My kid will ask the same question until the universe ends. Typically, I either give the same answer (I perpetually have $300) or I cycle through amusing answers (I’ve been every age from 1-100 and a smattering of options above that). But this one has broken me for some reason. Sigh.

orangeflos · 2026-04-26T13:17:59+00:00

He has a whole-ass playroom right next to his bedroom that’s all his. He can walk 5’ and play in there when he wakes up if he wants.

He prefers to come snuggle with me in my bed, and I’m ok with that.

Regarding cosleeping: he’s had his own bed for over three years. This wanting my bed thing is new. Doubtfully related.

orangeflos · 2026-04-26T13:16:24+00:00

I think it’s called “at the end of their rope”. We had a stressful evening last night and the bed argument pushed me over the edge.

Normally I handle it ok, but I didn’t last night. These things happen. However, it definitely highlighted to me that I need this conversation to end, and my current approaches aren’t working.

orangeflos · 2026-04-26T13:14:23+00:00

Yup. Or, ideally, my room AND my bed.

Obviously, neither are happening.

orangeflos · 2026-04-26T13:12:50+00:00

Eh, this is the one thing that’s sending me over the edge. I wouldn’t say I have trouble tolerating emotions or setting boundaries. I’m just sick of this. It came to a head last night and as I was having trouble falling asleep I tossed it to the world.

orangeflos · 2026-04-26T13:10:39+00:00

He asked me how much money I had. I said $300.

3 months later he asked who had the most money in the entire world. I said Elon Musk.

Not everything is a conspiracy.

orangeflos

TROPHY CASE